SEEKING CINDERELLA - Darlene Franklin and Cynthia Hickey - One Free Ebook

Dear Readers, I always love featuring Darlene Franklin and her books. She’s a dear friend from way back. We’ve written for some of the same publishers over the years. Her writing is always fresh and unique. I love her characters and her storylines. I so admire her. She’s been writing for several years from a nursing home. Keep up the good work, Darlene. It’ll keep you young.

Welcome back, Darlene. What are some of the spiritual themes you like to write about?

I write a lot about perseverance. God can get you through anything. IF my characters aren’t suffering enough, I add more to their plate. I’m a mean mother, lol. Actually, it’s that I want my characters to have troubles important enough to trust God for. People, including me, sometimes face larger-than-life problems.

What other books of yours are coming out soon?

I’m hoping to publish a few more Dyanamic Duos—Risking Love with Helen Gray is already out. I’m currently writing this year’s Christmas story, The Small Town Christmas Caper, to be released by Forget Me Not Romances in September.

One of my older Christmas stories, Lucy Ames, Sharpshooter, will be included in Old West Christmas from Barbour to be released in September. Lena, you wrote about Charlsey’s Accountant for that original Christmas set way back when!

           

I’m also extremely excited about my upcoming, Praying Through the Bible in a Year from Barbour, to be released in November, from Barbour.          

Actually, Charlsey’s Accountant was in A Texas Christmas a couple of years ago. And I’m in a new Barbour collection that will release in November as well Great Lakes Lighthouse Brides. If you could spend an evening with one contemporary person (not a family member of yours), who would it be and why?

I would like to spend time with my relatives in Kentucky. They’re family, I suppose, but it extends back to settlement times. To walk into a town with “Sparks” on several businesses and see a strong family resemblance on stranger’s faces—I’d love to do that.

What historical person would you like to meet (besides Jesus) and why?

A recent fave of mine is Mary Colter, the one woman behind the amazing buildings at the Grand Canyon. She worked for Harvey Houses and built dozens of their sites, both at the Grand Canyon and elsewhere along the railroad in the early 20^th century.

I have a book coming up where Mary will be a key figure in the romance, coming from Forget Me Not Romances.

How can you encourage authors who have been receiving only rejections from publishers?

I received a lot of rejections slips before I got a book contract. During those twelve years, I published maybe one thing a year. If that. Even now, when I publish regularly, including articles and nonfiction, I rarely break in when I query, and I receive book rejections on a regular basis.

However, I stuck with it (I received the Perseverance Award from Colorado Christian Writers’ Conference!). Book rejections are the norm. A few thoughts that helped me along the way:

• The question, should I quit, is a valid one. (Few of us do quit, at least for long.) Whenever I asked God whether I should give up writing altogether, I got the same answer: “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Finish the book I’ve given you to write today.” (And that book didn’t sell either!) God respects your request for a fleece. 

• If you’re pursuing writing to make a lot of money, rethink your motivation. The market is harder today than ever, especially with traditional publishers. You may make little to no money for anything you write. Having said that, there is still a need for strong writers to share God’s word. He takes care of our financial needs and brings our gift to the right people. 

• It’s okay to leave the book you’re working on and start another one. Don’t keep showing the same proposal to publishers. 

Tell us about the featured book?

 I suggested the idea of dual-authors sets to my publisher (Cynthia Hickey of Forget Me not Romances). She came up with “Dynamic Duos” and paired with me on the first release that combined our two Cinderella stories in Seeking Cinderella,

Two romantic novellas where fairy tales do come true.

CINDERELLA'S BOOT
Cynthia Ellen Cooper—known affectionately as “Cinderella”—left her wedding boot in the dust when she ran away from her wedding to work on a sheep station in Australia.

Four years later, she’s back home—and so is her ex-fiancé, now a DVM from Oklahoma State University. They reach a truce and work side by side in his father’s animal clinic.

Cyn soon discovers she wants more—but she has to battle bad history and a demanding pet owner for Keith’s attention.

How can Cinderella find a second chance at love? 

HILLBILLY CINDERELLA
When Cindy Lou Hopkins turns twenty-five life will get better. She knows it. She'll no longer be under the thumb of her stepmother Geneva or tormented by her stepsisters. She just has to stay alive that long.

The only kink in her plan for independence is the handsome, Lance Moore, she jokingly calls the town prince. A man who wants to get to know her better. A man Cindy isn't worthy to be in the same room as.

When Lance throws a barn dance, Cindy is determined to have one night with him that will carry her through the rest of her life. Can she set aside prejudices from a bygone time and embrace her happily ever after?

Please give us the first page of the book.

Mistletoe Springs, Oklahoma, Four years ago

Cynthia Ellen Cooper—Cyn to her friends, Cinderella to her family—had dreamed of her wedding day all her life. The day dawned as if delivered to order from heaven. Early May in Oklahoma hit the perfect balance between the heavy spring tornado season and the blasting heat of summer. Not a rain cloud or rainbow marred the horizon, naught but sunshine and puffy white clouds and blue sky. Grass, kept to an even six-inch height, comfy to foot and hoof, stretched around her family’s homestead, inviting her to ride to her wedding in style on the back of her favorite mare. The flowers of the field matched the wildflower bouquets lining the chairs set up for the ceremony to be held beneath a rose arch. Her wedding ensemble was designed to match the surroundings: a short gown and veil in ivory satin and lace paired with white heeled boots for her wedding slippers. In all, Cinderella had a fairy tale ending to a fairy tale romance for the cowgirl more at home on the back of her beloved mare Moonstar.

How can readers find you on the Internet?

Website and blog: https://Darlenefranklinwrites.com

List of my books: https://amzn.to/2Lv3Gaa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DarleneFranklinFun

Thank you, Darlene, for sharing this new project with us. I know my readers will be eager to read the story. I’ve read it and loved it, but I’m going to read it again.

Readers, here’s a link to the book.

Seeking Cinderella (Dynamic Duos Book 1)

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